Reviews

I really liked the idea behind this book - that the government has figured out a way to chrome a person instead of incarceration. A person is chromed a color based on the level of crime and then send out into the population. It is a bit like The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, but Ms. Jordan is no Margaret Atwood. I found the story a bit too pat, but it made me think and I enjoyed it.

Esther Bradley-DeTally(05/21/15)

A Must Read

I read this book when it first came out; my memory is hazy, but my feelings still sit up and shout, "read this book." The book was published at the same time of author and I think overlooked. When She Woke is excellent, a gripper, and I couldn't put it down. I found it very different from Mudbound and admire that in an author, to produce such diversity. Highly compelling. A must read.

Sharon(04/18/13)

Pretty Good...for Awhile

I will not summarize the plot since other writers have done a fine job. What I will say is that the book arrives at a point where it feels as though the writer ran out of steam. The last part of the book was a surprising let down for me.

Kathleen(01/10/13)

Changed my mind on Dystopian novel's

I usually see dystopian in a book description and immediately count the book out. This one mentioned THE SCARLET LETTER, so I was hooked. The price on Kindle didn't hurt either.I loved this book, it has so much to discuss: politics, religion, women's rights, fear, shame, alienation and shunning. The cover show's the protagonist, Hannah, as a red woman. That is how people are shown to be criminals instead of being keep in prisons. The ramifications of that are immense. This is a very fast read but gives a powerful punch. You will be thinking about this novel long after reading it. I have suggested to many people to read it, it was that good.

techeditor(01/09/13)

pleasant surprise

WHEN SHE WOKE by Hillary Jordan was a pleasant surprise for me. From what I had heard, I had expected a futuristic book about a world where abortion was a crime punishable by turning the criminal’s skin red. Yes, there’s that. But there’s so much more to it. And Jordan’s writing is very good.

You can believe me. This comes from a pro-lifer.

At first, I thought my expectations were accurate. But, although pro-lifers in this book have tunnel vision and are cruel, which might have irritated me, the story has so many twists and turns, I really did enjoy it.

My biggest surprise about WHEN SHE WOKE was that so much happens in a relatively short book. I say “relatively” because most books that have this much action are twice as long as WHEN SHE WOKE.

Too many authors love the way they write so much that they write too much and subject the reader to many paragraphs that can easily be cut without detracting from the story. But Jordan has cut the garbage paragraphs in WHEN SHE WOKE. Don’t skip. Jordan’s writing is concise, and all of it is necessary.

Aaron S(12/01/12)

Not quite Hawthorne...

Hillary Jordan takes the concept of Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter and takes it into a new era, one in the potentially not so distant future from our own. She acknowledges her borrowing of the premise of Scarlet Letter openly, and does enough differently that it won't weigh on your mind too heavily.

The protagonist, Hannah, has had her skin died red as punishment for murder, turning her into a social pariah. Jordan uses the novel to explore issues such as abortion, separation of church and state, women's rights, and religion. Her politics seem rather clear, but even if you don't agree with them, the book has enough drive and the characters are likable enough that they can carry the story.

The novel starts strong, but falters a bit towards the end as events start to rush faster and faster. It doesn't feel quite as much building to a crescendo as it does an attempt to wrap the novel up. Still, it is an enjoyable novel that does well with the premise. Hawthorne would be pleased, I think.

bob sauerbrey(10/23/12)

From shame to what?

This excellent variation of the themes of self-righteous power, the disempowerment of the vulnerable, and the steps toward freedom & courage is difficult to put down, even when it is most disturbing. The story is a nod to the prurient morality of the 19th century as played out in a not too distant future. Wonderful character development throughout while exploring issues too uncomfortably familiar in a bigoted, narrow, and simplistic national culture duped by those who promise to keep it safe at the expense of the dignity and conscience of every single person in that twisted world where the narrow views of the few manage the behavior of the many. Dystopian literature at its best.

Martie(10/23/12)

When She Woke

Intriguing and very interesting first half and then became common toward the end as though the author ran out of exotic ideas. This story could very well be a future reality, the way the religious right is gaining so much power in the U.S. I remember reading Sinclair Lewis' "It Can't Happen Here." Oh yes is can!!! Best not to be silent when freedoms start slipping away. I think this would make a good movie. When She Woke kept making me think, "hey, this is Hunger Games for adults."

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